ANEP: About Estuaries - New Hampshire Estuaries

About Estuaries:
Insights on the NEPs - New Hampshire Estuaries Project

Beginning in 1995, the New Hampshire Estuaries Project (NHEP) embarked on a process to develop and systematically address the 98 Action Items outlined in the program's guiding document, the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan. The intent was to achieve the Plan's goals of improved water quality in New Hampshire's estuaries. The NHEP addresses Action Items by either completing them directly or funding other organizations to complete the work.

The NHEP's Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan for NH Estuaries was completed in 2000 and implementation has been ongoing. The Management Plan outlines key issues related to management of New Hampshire's estuaries and proposes practical strategies (Action Items) that are expected to preserve, protect, and enhance the State's extraordinary estuarine resources. The NHEP's priorities were established by local stakeholders and include water quality improvements, shellfish resources, land protection, and habitat restoration. Projects addressing these priorities are undertaken throughout NH's coastal watershed, which includes 42 communities.

Released on October 18, 2003, the 2003 State of the Estuaries report produced by the New Hampshire Estuaries Project offers data that suggest New Hampshire’s estuaries are in generally good condition, but are under threat. The 32-page report examines 12 environmental indicators of estuarine health, such as bacteria levels, nitrogen concentrations, toxic contaminant levels, abundance of shellfish and land use in the coastal watershed. By examining long-term data sets complied by a variety of organizations, the report clearly describes the current status of NH’s estuaries and suggests trends for the future. The report is designed to provide readers an accurate understanding of environmental trends for New Hampshire’s estuarine resources so that they may make wise land use and resource management decisions.

The NHEP strives to:

Improve the water quality and overall health of New Hampshire's estuaries;

Support regional development patterns that protect water quality, maintain open spaces and important habitat, and preserve estuarine resources;

Track environmental trends through the implementation of a long term monitoring program to assess indicators of estuarine health; and,

Develop broad-based popular support for the implementation of the Management Plan by encouraging involvement of the public, local government, and other interested parties in its implementation.

For more information regarding the New Hampshire Estuaries Project:

Call (603) 433-7187

Write us at 152 Court Street, Suite #1, Portsmouth, NH 03801

E-mail us at chrisnash@rscs.net

Please visit our website at: http://www.nhep.unh.edu